NewsWhore
05-18-2009, 06:20 PM
Caribbean trade expert Sir Ronald Sanders believes that the DR should be accepted into the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom). The government of the Dominican Republic (DR) has applied to become a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom), and heads of government of the regional organization will consider the application at their meeting in July. "The DR is already an elephant in the Caricom room that cannot be ignored - its participation in Cariforum and the terms of the EPA with the EU make it a big player," says Sanders. He said that Caricom countries along with the DR form Cariforum and last year they each signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the 27-nation European Union (EU), which overtakes the objectives of Caricom's slow-paced Single Market and Economy in many aspects.
Sanders makes the point that the EPA's Regional Preference clause obliges Cariforum states to extend to each other the same treatment they extend to EU. "Therefore, from the DR's standpoint since it has entered a game, it makes sense to help make the rules."
He also mentions that it is only a matter of time before "the big three", the Spanish-speaking Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic) dominate in the region, "with markets and investment opportunities that are far greater than all the Caricom countries", he explains.
"Caricom countries would delude themselves if they believe that with their individual small markets, high investment costs, high costs of doing business and vulnerabilities both to natural disasters and external economic shocks - such as the current global financial meltdown - they could each operate successfully in the global marketplace in competition with the 'big three'", he writes.
www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/... (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20090516T210000-0500_151567_OBS_THE_BIG_THREE_AND_LITTLE_CARICOM_IN_THE_CARIBBEAN.asp)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
Sanders makes the point that the EPA's Regional Preference clause obliges Cariforum states to extend to each other the same treatment they extend to EU. "Therefore, from the DR's standpoint since it has entered a game, it makes sense to help make the rules."
He also mentions that it is only a matter of time before "the big three", the Spanish-speaking Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic) dominate in the region, "with markets and investment opportunities that are far greater than all the Caricom countries", he explains.
"Caricom countries would delude themselves if they believe that with their individual small markets, high investment costs, high costs of doing business and vulnerabilities both to natural disasters and external economic shocks - such as the current global financial meltdown - they could each operate successfully in the global marketplace in competition with the 'big three'", he writes.
www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/... (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20090516T210000-0500_151567_OBS_THE_BIG_THREE_AND_LITTLE_CARICOM_IN_THE_CARIBBEAN.asp)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)